Students of the School of Performing Arts in Seoul (SOPA) perform on stage at a dinner party for an insurance company upon the principal's order. The photo was disclosed by Rep. Park Yong-jin of the Democratic Party of Korea at the National Assembly inspection of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education last October. / Yonhap

By Jung Hae-myoung The principal of the School of Performing Arts in Seoul (SOPA) ordered students to perform at private gatherings dozens of times, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) said, Sunday.SOPA is a school attended by many K-pop stars and would-be stars. Graduates include Suzy, Sulli, Joy from Red Velvet and Jung-kook from BTS. SOPA students were forced to perform at least 10 times over two years since 2017 at private meetings of the principal and his wife, who works at the administrative office of the school. The meetings included a dinner for an insurance company and the wife's alumni event. The principal's wife also allegedly pocketed the money for students' performances by receiving payment through her own bank account. The school also took 100 million won ($89,533) as a subsidy for operating afterschool programs over the last four years but used it for other purposes. The principal used a car registered with the school for private purposes, and paid his gas and mobile phone fees using the school account. Some teachers testified the principal's family set up an illegal residential space inside the school building and resided there until September.The SMOE asked the school foundation to dismiss the principal and his wife, and sought help from law enforcement authorities to look into further allegations. The principal is denying all allegations.